The Fall of Articuno
by ATimelessEclipse
Summary: Set 16 years before Pokémon Red & Blue. In the Kanto region which resides on the continent of Indigo, two ordinary 14 year old boys begin their Pokémon journey. On their trip, they will find and fight the corruption that is happening in the background. And their fight with evil will affect the Kanto region forever.
1. Prologue: Terror at Seafoam

**A/N: Hey everyone, this is my first (and possibly only) fan fiction. I wrote this prologue awhile ago and I was curious if people would enjoy the story. Currently, I don't plan on writing anymore for this story but that may change. This story is set 16 years before Pokémon Red & Blue and is completely original though some characters you already know will appear in the story. It is mainly based off the games but the anime and manga may influence certain characters and settings. **

**And of course, I do not own the Pokémon series.**

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 **Prologue: Terror at Seafoam**

The grunt looked at the dark silent cave as his group jumped off their sleek cruiser. He glanced around at the sandy beach, waves dampening the ground. This haven seemed untouched by humans and most likely was. There was not a single tree or bush in sight however, only the coarse sand and the grim cave ahead. The grunt was dressed in his uniform, completely black except the big red R that took up most of the shirt. His colleagues were also dressed in the same outfit except a young woman with short red hair who donned a white uniform. She was of an average height, had bright red eyes to accompany her hair and had slanted eyebrows that always made her seem mad. While she may have been mistaken for an innocent girl, this woman was incredibly evil and terribly dangerous. She was the leader, the boss, the executive.

"What are we doing here Madam?" asked one of the other grunts. The leader smiled, "Just wait and see" she laughed. She led the group towards the cave as a soft cool breeze passed them. The members stumbled around through the narrow passageway. As the team traveled deeper into the cave, it became much, much colder. Icicles started appearing on the walls and ceiling. The narrow path had become a big elaborate maze, the ceiling now metres above them. The frost covering the floors made many grunts slip and slide all over the place. Only the woman was skilled enough to keep her balance and not fall over. "General Ariana, what do we do now?" said the grunt. Ariana looked at her members and spoke to them. "Legend says that at the last chamber of the Seafoam Isles lies a majestic bird," she announced. "It is as blue as sapphires and as shiny as diamonds. It gives off a cold but warm blue aura. Its name is Articuno." The grunts stared in shock. They would have never imagined that their petty criminal group would be searching for a legendary Pokémon.

When they snapped out of their daze, Ariana had already left them behind. They quickly rushed after their leader wanting to see the majestic bird. Their trek went on and on, hour after hour. The cold became harsher and the ice more slippery. Many members had collapsed from the cold and exhaustion. Ariana was apathetic and didn't stop for them. To her, they were just tools to help her fulfill her goal. Finally, the group reached a cold stream that had a strong quick current. "Okay grunts, get ready," Ariana demanded. "We won't be able to swim across this stream so you'll need to use a Pokémon with Surf. If you don't have one then scram and go home." The grunts were shocked. They weren't warned that they would need water Pokémon for this trip. It was an outright scam. No one wanted to argue with Ariana though. She would probably push a grunt into the stream for fun. About half of Ariana's colleagues left while the other half grabbed out their Poké Balls. Most of them had weak water Pokemon like Magikarp and Goldeen that probably couldn't carry themselves across the stream, let alone their trainers. "Let's go crew." Ariana shouted. She tossed her Poké Ball which revealed a huge Lapras. At first glance, it would seem like the Lapras was ordinary but at a closer angle it was obvious that this Lapras was not normal. One distinct feature stuck out, its red eyes, which would give you nightmares for weeks. All features of innocence were corrupted by the red eyes.

The Lapras looked towards its destination as Ariana hopped onto its back. When Ariana was secure, Lapras moved at an immense speed. The grunts tried to catch up to her but she was going too fast. The current kept tugging at the Pokémon. Most of the grunts' Pokémon got tired and stopped swimming leaving their trainers drowning and doomed. Their colleagues looked back aghast except Ariana who just kept on laughing. The stream never seemed to end, the water flowing into oblivion. After what seemed like ages, the current stopped and the water calmed down. As they floated through the water, they saw a lone rock, disconnected from everything else. Perched upon the rock was a sleeping blue bird named Articuno. Everyone looked at the creature with awe and fascination. It was meant to be a legend, a myth. Only the most skilled were meant to have a chance of seeing it but in front of their eyes was the fabled Articuno. The stories were true, its skin was a magical blue and it seemed to gleam even in the everlasting darkness of the cave. Its stare seemed so cold but there was also a tinge of warmth. It was majestic, beautiful.

While it lay asleep, the grunts jumped off their Pokémon and started climbing up the wall that separated them from absolute power. Ariana, of course, took the lead, carefully planning her best strategy to capture the Pokémon. She had waited for this moment for her whole life. Waiting to capture a legendary Pokémon and be praised by everyone for her successes. No one would say she was a failure then. Nothing was going to stop her from getting her hands on that Articuno. Trying not to wake up the Articuno, she carefully stood up and tossed a Poké Ball. Instead of her Lapras, a shiny Charizard came out. The grunts gaze zipped from the Articuno to Ariana's Charizard. Shiny Pokémon were super rare and extremely difficult to catch but it was worth the patience. Shiny Pokémon were superior to their normal counterparts. That wasn't the only peculiar feature of the Charizard, thought the other was not easy to detect. Charizard was unlike all of Ariana's other Pokémon in a way. While the others pleasured in causing pain like their trainer, Charizard didn't enjoy what it was forced to do. It was quite a peaceful creature that didn't enjoy violence. But the bond between a Pokémon and its trainer is unique. Despite disagreeing with Ariana's motives, Charizard would listen to Ariana.

"All of you idiots get out your best Pokémon," Ariana demanded quietly. "But don't attack the Articuno until I say." Her colleagues cooperated with their leader. Ariana turned her sight from the grunts to her Pokémon. "Charizard, I need you to use your strongest Fire Blast." Ariana ordered. Without a word, Charizard flew up and hovered near the Articuno. It began to build up power for its strongest attack. The temperature flared around Charizard as an orange fireball started glowing in its mouth. The fireball kept expanding and the heat levels soared. Some of the ice started melting into big puddles of water. The sudden rise of the temperature started to make Articuno twitch. When the fireball was the size of a wrecking ball, Charizard released it and it came rushing down towards Articuno. The intense force caused a huge explosion when the fireball collided with Articuno. Many grunts were blown off the rock by the airwaves. Everyone waited in anticipation when the smoke started to clear but when it had subsided, Articuno was still perched on the rock, now staring intently on the intruders. Suddenly, the Articuno let out a huge squawk and dived viciously towards the group. Ariana and the rest of the group quickly dived out of the Pokémon's path. "AATTTTAACCKK!" she screamed while hopping up.

The grunts ordered their Pokémon and their Pokémon obeyed their pleas and started launching attacks. The first few attacks narrowly missed the legendary ice bird and it seemed that the odds were against Articuno. The bird Pokémon quickly adapted to the scenario however and now was focusing on defending itself rather than attacking. It swiftly dodged the lousy attacks and aimed a few Ice Beams at the attacking Pokémon for good measure. "Dammit, all your Pokémon are weak and SHIT!" Ariana roared. All movement stopped soon after. The grunts and their Pokémon turned and looked fearfully towards Ariana; even Articuno's gaze was directed at her. Ariana calmed down and spoke. "I guess you're our only chance Charizard." Articuno finally noticed the shiny Charizard in the corner, who had been watching and observing. The Charizard then moved towards the Articuno and started attacking it.

They were evenly matched, Articuno quickly dodged Charizard's flame attacks while Charizard swiftly evaded Articuno's ice beams. The cave was drastically changing during the battle. Sometimes it was freezing cold, other times it was scorching. A few misaimed Ice Beams had frozen over many rocks. The grunts watched the Pokémon in amazement. None had seen a battle so intense. During the fight, Articuno noticed a deep sorrow in the Charizard's eye rather than spite or hate. Articuno realized that the dragon Pokémon was not acting on its own will and was being forced to battle. As the fight wore on, Articuno gained the upper hand and gave Charizard a Wing Attack to the face. Charizard received the full blow and started falling down. As Charizard hurtled towards the ground, Articuno felt extremely guilty for Charizard. In the distance, Ariana smirked. The Articuno had fallen for the trick. When the Articuno glided down to get a closer look, Charizard struck and gravely injured the Articuno. A deep gash appeared in its skin and dark red blood soon started to taint the beautiful blue and white fur. Though gravely unstable, Articuno landed safely and slumped on the ground. Quickly, the grunts threw a net over the Articuno to ensure it would not escape. While this unfolded, Ariana grinned evilly. Her dream, it would finally come true. Now she could report her success and impress the only one she cared about. Ariana raised her radio transceiver to tell her friends the news. "Articuno has fallen."

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed the Prologue**


	2. Chapter 1: Pallet Town Blues

**A/N: Here is another short chapter of the story I forgot that I wrote. I'm still unsure if I'll continue writing but I am considering it. Also, because it is set before Red & Blue, many places will look different to the games, settings not in the games will appear and some locations from the games won't appear as they do not exist yet. Just so you know.**

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 **Chapter 1: Pallet Town Blues**

"Quick, we must hurry so it doesn't catch us," a girl shouted. "Come on." Skye obeyed and followed the girl in a hurry. They were in a murky, damp cave and surrounded by blue crystals. Skye recognized where he was immediately. It was Cerulean Cave. He had gone there on a tour as a child with his mum. This time though, it seemed different. The cave was darker than usual and the water was a clear blue unlike the muddy water he had seen as a child. It was much colder too, no warmth from the outside. He realized that he was deeper in the cave, the part they didn't show to tourists, the section forbidden to the public. The cave was sectioned off as it was unstable and prone to collapse. It was also rumored that many strong Pokémon dwelled there, waiting for the ultimate challenge. Skye continued to run; he hoped the girl knew where she was going.

They rushed into a small passage, so narrow and small that Skye nearly had to duck to fit in. Skye looked at the girl he was following. She had long brown hair that went down to her shoulders and bright blue eyes which seemed to be the only light in the dark cave. Skye racked his mind but he knew he did not know this girl. Why was he with her now? Just before he questioned the girl, the earth started to rumble and small rocks started to fall from the ceiling.

The duo continued running but the rumbling only became worse. The tremor quickly became an earthquake. Rocks were falling at a faster pace and Skye was dodging them with every step. The girl said something but it was drowned out by the noise of the rocks breaking as they hit the floor. Skye then hesitated for a split second and leaped before tripping and colliding with floor. The girl stopped to see what happened when some of the roof of the cave collapsed, blocking her off from Skye. "SKYE!" she cried. Skye listened but she didn't shout again. Before he knew it, Skye fainted.

When he awoke, it was pitch black with only everlasting darkness in every direction. Skye got up and walked around, trying to feel for the non-existent surroundings. "Hello," he screamed "Help!" He called out a little longer but it was no use. No one was there, no one could help him. He sat back down trying to remember how he had gotten into this mess. Suddenly, he heard something breathing behind him. He slowly turned around and found himself looking into two shiny purple eyes staring back at him. Skye stumbled back in fear and the creature leaped towards him.

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Skye was awoken by the falling rain pattering on his bedroom window. He hadn't had a good sleep that night, like all the other nights in the past few weeks. It was always the same nightmare that tortured him. He put those thoughts behind him though as today was a very important and special day to him. Rather slowly, Skye slipped out of his bed and started stepping down the ladder from the attic to the first floor. Before descending down the stairs, Skye looked outside the window to get a view towards the town. On a sunny day the view was beautiful. Rattatas and Nidorans would be running around joyfully and the Pidgeys and Spearows would glide peacefully in the sun. The sight that day however was the total opposite. The rain and clouds made everything look gloomy and there was not a single Pokémon to see. Skye sighed sadly when he looked out, he spent most of his time with Pokémon, tamed or wild, and enjoyed their company very much. That's why he wished to become a Pokémon Master. So he could meet all sorts of Pokémon and find out the best strategy to defeat opponents.

Skye turned away from the distraction and walked down the stairs towards the kitchen where his breakfast awaited. At the table was his mother who shared Skye's dark brown hair. She was smiling gently but there were tears glistening in her sea blue eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much. Your father would have been so proud of you." his mother cried. "Mum." Skye said, rather embarrassed. His mum then embraced him in a tight hug and only let go a minute later. Skye was an only child and lived with his mother ever since his father died in an accident when Skye was young. For his mother, Skye was the only thing she had left of his father. As Skye ate his breakfast, he noticed a Poké Ball lying on the table. Curiosity got the better of him and he picked up the ball. "It was an offspring of one of your father's Pokémon." his mum told him. "He said he would give it to you the day you left but…""Thanks mum." Skye said quickly.

Skye never understood why his mother didn't move on after his father passed. His mother refused to talk about his late father because it brought her pain and reopened a wound that never healed for her. Skye understood why she wouldn't talk but it always frustrated him because he didn't know who his father was. He started to wonder what Pokémon was inside the ball but he was pretty sure which one it was. He pressed the button to release his new partner. A bright light shone out of the ball, blinding Skye and his mother. When the light dissipated, there was a foxlike creature sitting on the ground. It had brown fur except for a white tuft near its chin, it had beady black eyes and pointy ears. It was an Eevee. The Eevee jumped and yelped with glee as it ran around the house.

"I guess it's goodbye then." Skye said sadly. "I always knew this day would come even though I hoped it wouldn't," his mother told him. She reached into her pocket and grabbed his father's golden badge case. "Here, it's for you." Skye thanked his mum and grabbed the case. "Make sure you don't get into trouble and stay safe." his mum ordered before they hugged for one last time. Skye called out to his Eevee who ran joyfully towards Skye when it heard its name. Eevee snuggled against his leg affectionately. Skye patted the fox's head and started walking, with Eevee close behind.

By the time Skye stepped outside, it had stopped raining but it was still a cloudy and miserable day. Skye returned his new companion into its ball. He still didn't know what gender Eevee was but he knew someone who would. Skye looked around and saw all of Pallet Town. It was a narrow, small and quaint village where nature was still blooming with many ponds and plants all around the town. Most of the houses were situated in the town centre with a large lab to the north. The east and west were surrounded by dozens of trees. Skye lived in the southern outskirts of town which led down to the beach. While he was watching the windmill at the lab, Skye wondered if he would find out more about his father. There were too many mysteries surrounding him and Skye needed to know the truth.

He looked at his house one last time and walked down the hill towards the town centre to begin his trip around the Kanto region. Skye didn't know then but he would not return to Pallet Town for a long time. The journey he was about to take would be the start of many events that would change the Indigo Domain forever.


	3. Chapter 2: Leavetaking

**A/N: So I've decided to type up a few more chapters. I can not guarantee that I'll have a chapter up every day though. Also, I'll address something else so there is no confusion. There are the regions of Kanto and Johto of course but sometimes I will refer to Indigo. I use Indigo when referring to both Kanto and Johto. Saying "the regions of Kanto and Johto" gets a bit repetitive after a while.**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoy this next chapter.**

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 **Chapter 2: Leavetaking**

As he approached the town centre, Skye walked up to the first house in sight. It was slightly bigger than the rest and its red roof stuck out between the other purple roofs. Skye knocked on the cream door and opened it when he heard a faint "Come in." In the house there were many children screaming and running and a tired looking man trying to calm all of them down. He looked up at Skye. "Hey Skye, Cooper is packing his bag in his room." "Thank you sir." said Skye as he navigated his way towards the staircase. He quickly ran up the stairway and stopped at the top. The hallway was crammed with boxes and files that couldn't fit elsewhere. Skye slowly stepped through being careful not to knock anything over. He walked a bit further and then turned right into what was easily the cleanest room of the house.

Natural light shone through the bedroom window which gave a spectacular view of the mountains. The room's layout was simple with only a bed to sleep on and a desk and old, rundown computer to work and study. Sitting at the desk was a black haired teenager whose body was decorated with several scratches and scars from wild Pokémon. Cooper had been one of Skye's best friends since they were young. They'd gotten on straight away because of their shared interests and helped each other out. They also knew each other's pain as Cooper's situation was similar to Skye's. Cooper was the eldest of six and had to take care of his younger siblings with his father. When Cooper was 7, his mother died giving birth to his younger brother. His father would receive income from occasional odd jobs and was never home for long periods. This meant Cooper was forced to become the leader of the household and had to take care of five young children. Cooper's family had no leisure and only spent on essentials. Despite these setbacks, Cooper was the smartest person in Pokémon Studies that Skye ever knew, "other than you." Cooper always reminded him. He obtained a scholarship when he started at Pokémon School which diminished some of the financial weight on his father's shoulders. Because of their intelligence, Cooper and Skye were raised a class level higher than their peers. But while Skye worked on battles and strategies, Cooper was the expert on Pokémon Health, Breeding and Anatomy. That why Skye had come to Cooper's earlier, to find out what gender his Eevee was.

Cooper turned around when he heard Skye walk into the room. "You're quite early." he said. Skye held out his Poké Ball. "Well, I got a surprise." he told Cooper. Cooper smiled with delight. "What is it?" Skye responded by opening the ball to reveal his new Eevee. Cooper let out a laugh. "It was always your favourite." he said as he tickled Eevee's ear. Eevee purred in joy. Skye waited patiently as Cooper played with Eevee and checked for signs indicating Eevee's gender. After some time, he looked up at Skye. "It's a boy," Cooper announced. "Are you going to nickname him?" "I don't think so," Skye replied as he returned Eevee into the ball. "Are you ready to leave Pallet Town and explore all of Kanto?" Cooper grinned. "Of course I am, you idiot." he replied. Skye waited patiently as Cooper finished packing his backpack and chose two Pokémon out of the six he had. Skye knew one of them would be a Spearow, Cooper's signature Pokémon, but he had no idea what the other one was. Spearow was the only Pokémon Cooper had properly trained, the others were just family pets and not used for battle. Skye went outside while Cooper said goodbye to his father.

On the path outside the house were many other children of all ages walking towards the Lab to attend school. They wouldn't leave today though. The legal age to gain a trainer's license was 11 but barely anyone in Pallet left at that age. The town was not very wealthy so children would stay at home to help their families and leave at 16 instead. Skye and Cooper were the first in many years to leave at 14. Cooper walked out of his house after a few minutes. "Are you ready?" Skye asked. Cooper nodded and they started walking away. "Hey, WAIT!" someone shouted. Both Skye and Cooper turned around and looked in the direction of the yelling. At the front of Cooper's house was a young girl with brown hair in a ponytail. "Hey Mills." greeted Skye. Mills ignored Skye and focused her brown eyes at Cooper. "You are leaving for who knows how long and all you say to me is bye!?" she snapped at Cooper. Cooper uttered a sigh. "Look, I know you want to come with me," he explained, "but I can't take you with me. The others need someone to help them while I am gone. Besides, it's dangerous out there." Cooper's speech didn't seem to convince Mills at all. "You and Skye could protect me, if I need it at all," she retorted. "Why won't you let me come with you?" Cooper hesitated. Skye wondered if he was considering bringing Mills along. After all, Cooper and Mills were close siblings. Cooper recovered after a few seconds and looked Mills dead on with his brown eyes. "I want you to be able to live a normal life and not stress about financial matters," he told her. "Every week, I'm sending half the money I earn back home so Dad can stay at home." Mills' face immediately softened. "Are you sure?" she asked calmly. "Yes," he replied. "It will help everyone." Mills responded by giving her older brother a farewell hug. "Bye Amelia." Cooper whispered. Mills waved them off as they finally began their trip to Professor Oak's Lab.

Walking up the road gave Skye a feeling of déjà vu. It felt like any normal day, just him and Cooper walking to school. After a while they had left the town centre and reached the outskirts of town. It was technically called Route 1 but it known as the Fields of Pallet to everyone. He felt a sense of relief as he walked through the route. The clouds had finally parted to reveal the blue sky and there was a soft breeze blowing. The green grass was rustling with Rattatas and Pidgeys were chirping. The sight was beautiful. The boys walked up a steep hill to arrive at their destination. When they got to the top, they saw the lab, a flat roofed two story building connected up to a giant windmill. Behind it lay a grove and sanctuary to all wild Pokémon to relax before they set out into the wild again. Trainer's Pokémon would also stay there if they were deposited into the PC. This was also where Pokémon School was held so Skye and Cooper were very familiar with the area. They walked into the lab where Professor Oak waited for them.

The professor was known all over Kanto and Johto as the smartest Pokémon researcher in the known world. He was also known for his battle prowess when he was younger. He was an idol to the world yet he decided to reside in his quiet home town to teach the young all about Pokémon. Everyone in town was grateful for his education. If not for him, the children would have no one to teach them. Professor Oak smiled when the boys came in. "Ahh, here are my favourite students," Oak exclaimed. "I'll miss teaching you two." "Thanks, Professor." Skye replied. Oak handed the boys some Poké Balls, a map of Indigo and their trainer licenses. "Now do you remember where all trainers aim to go?" Professor Oak asked. "We aim to enter into the Indigo Plateau competition." Cooper answered. "Exactly," said the Professor. "The competition is held once every year. Before the tournament begins, trainers have to collect at least 8 badges from Gyms that are located all over Kanto and Johto. When the challenge begins, trainers try to beat the Elite Four and the Champion. If they beat one Elite Four member, they are guaranteed a spot in the Elite Four. If they then defeat the Champion, they become the Champion of Indigo." Skye thought excitedly of the possibility of getting a spot on the Elite Four. He doubted he would ever be able to beat them but it would be amazing if he could. The Elite Four were treated with utmost respect and for good reason. They were the best fighters on the continent. The last time there was a change in the Elite Four was when Professor Oak's own son beat all the Elite Four but was defeated by the Champion. It was every Pokémon trainer's dream to become the Champion of Kanto and Johto.

"Now, it would be best if you headed towards Viridian and Pewter first," Professor Oak advised. "You could go to the Johto towns but it is difficult to cross the border early on. Also, the Viridian Gym is always closed so I suggest you stop at Viridian for a night before travelling to Pewter to challenge the Gym there." Skye and Cooper both nodded in response. "Professor, I'm curious to know how many wild Pokémon would be in the grove at this time." Skye questioned. Oak looked out the window, inspecting the Pokémon running around gleefully. "It seems there are no caught Pokémon in the area of Viridian City exit." The professor looked at the two teens eagerly. "You two have shown the most promise than anyone else I have taught," he told them. "Make sure you make me proud." "Of course we will professor." Skye laughed. "Then off you go." Oak said as he pushed them towards the entry to the grove. _"It's finally happening,"_ Skye thought. _"Surely nothing can ruin my adventure."_


End file.
